A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

The Land of Midian, Vol. 2

R >> Richard Burton >> The Land of Midian, Vol. 2




11.45a.m.28.90 84 - - - In Wady el-Kurr.

3p.m. 28.87 87 - - -3 At Wady Laylah, in big tent.
Afternoon windy as usual.
Puffs from west (sea-breeze),
cold. Sky quite clear.
Mountains milky.

Night cool, but not cold.

April 7. 4.15a.m. 28.80 60 - - +5 In big tent at Wady Laylah.
Morning especially bright.
Lucifer like a little moon.
Breeze at eight a.m.

Noon. 29.39 54 - - +2 Wady Birkat, under rock. Going
down seawards fast. Cool west
wind. Good sea-breeze. Sky and
sun clear--sun not unpleasant.
Hot in sheltered bends.

3.10p.m. 29.46 81 - - 4 At Abál-Ajáj, under tamarisks.

Dew at night.

April 8. 5a.m. 29.55 60 - - 27 Outside tent at Abál-Ajáj.
Cool morning; warmer at eight
a.m. before breeze set in.

Noon. 29.94 83 - - 22 At the temple (El-Gasr), Wady
Hamz. Sand-dust with sea-
breeze, terrible at temple and
around it. Eyes filled,
clothes covered. Saw mirage--
well defined for first time.

3p.m. 29.90 52 - - 20 At Wady Hamz. Hygrometer damp
on account of sea-breeze.

April 9. 4a.m. 29.92 70 - - 25 Still, clear, and beautiful,
like all these mornings. Hot
sun. Blue sea, glassy near the
shore. Puffs of wind from
east.

Noon. 29.90 96 - - -8 In big tent at Wady Mismáh.
Cool breeze from north-cast.
Heat strongly reflected from
quartz. Vegetation dreadfully
dry; plants look dead. Two bad
years.

3p.m. 29.74 92 - - -18 In big tent at Abál-Marú.
Another nasty afternoon. High
west wind--sea-breeze, not
Khamsin; tent almost blown
down. Dust dreadful.

Evening charming. Night admirably cool.

April 10 4.20a.m. 29.74 - - - 0 In big tent at Abál-Marú.
Splendid morning; few striae
in east. Will be hot.

4.30p.m. 29.95 - 76 73 - On board Sinnár, captain's
cabin. Pleasant afternoon.
Cool sea-breeze.

ON BOARD "SINNÁR."

April 11.6a.m. 29.86 - 70 66 - In captain's cabin. Felt damp
strongly after the Desert.

12.30p.m.29.87 - 78 74 - All complaining of heat (white
heat); damp is the cause. No
sea-breeze to speak of.

3.15p.m. 29.83 - 79 75 - White clouds everywhere.
Curious wind-clouds, not a
little like comets.

Heavy dew. Streets of El-Wijh wet.





OBSERVATIONS TAKEN ON BOARD SCREW-STREAMER "SINNÁR," EN ROUTE FROM EL-WIJH TO
SUEZ, FROM APRIL 12 TO APRIL 17, 1878.



Date. Time. Aneroid Dry Wet Remarks.
Inches. Bulb. Bulb.

April 12. 6.20 a.m. 29.89 78 73 En route to El-Muwaylah, captain's
cabin. Red sunrise. Clouds thin all
about horizon. Looks like regular
Khamsin day. Feels exceedingly damp.

12.20 p.m. 20.80 79 70 In dead calm. Sea oily, like mirror.
No winds. Thin white clouds
everywhere.

3.35 p.m. 29.78 81 76 In captain's cabin. Wretched day at
El-Wijh and ashore. Very muggy.

At night a "bruch" (halo) of clouds round moon, and far from it. Expect
storm. "Bruchs" round moon on 13th, 14th, and 15th.

April 13. Noon. 29.84 78 70 Anchored before El-Muwaylah. No dew
in morning, and clouds everywhere.
No sun seen. Very hot at noon. White
clouds everywhere. Smoke of steamer
hangs low. Mountains look very high.
Muggy. Fine drinkytite.

3 p.m. 29.80 83 73 At Sharm Yáhárr. Hot and sweaty.
Light west wind rose after noon;
soon fell.

At night clouds and "bruch." Clear to north, thick to south.

April 14. 6.30 a.m. 29.82 78 72 At Sharm Yáhárr. Nasty muggy
morning. Light north breeze set in.

12.40 p.m. 29.88 82 75

3 p.m. 29.85 83 76 Warm and cloudy.

Weather threatening. The same storm that found us at Makná last year.

April 15. " - - - Water flooded pier, and waves broke
on shore.

April 16. " - - - Ran to El-Muwaylah. Had to return to
Sharm Yáhárr. Furious wind from west
(Gharbi) began about nine a.m.

April 17. Noon. 29.98 77 65 In captain's cabin, Sharm Yáhárr.

3 p.m. 29.92 76 65

Wind changed to north. Weather became cool and pleasant. Gale still, but
shows signs of abating.

On April 18th weather somewhat abated. Stopped at El-Mawaylah to drop Sayyid
'Abd el-Rahim; and steamed off for Suez, where we arrived on 20th. Voyage
very slow in teeth of north wind. Yet at Suez had had south wind for some
days, and congratulated us upon the fact.





OBSERVATIONS TAKEN BY MR. DAVID DUGUID, BETWEEN JANUARY 8 AND FEBRUARY 1, 1878.



(He used the French aneroide and the Centigrade thermometer bought at Cairo.)

Date. Time. Aneroid Thermometer Remarks.
Millimetres. Centigrade.
(deg.)

Jan. 8. Noon. 768 25 At Sharmá camp.

Jan. 9. Noon. 768 25 Ditto.

Jan. 10. Noon. 761 26 Ditto.

Jan. 11. Noon. 763 19 Ditto.

Jan. 12. Noon. 763 19 Ditto.

Jan. 13. Noon. 760 30 Ditto. Very hot.

Jan. 14. Daylight 760 20
(?) 755 25 Very hot.
8 p.m. 758 23

Jan. 15. (?) 757 21
(?) 757 25 Hot.
Nightfall 759 20

Jan. 16. Daylight 762 18 Mr. Duguid marched from Sharmá to El-Muwaylah.

Jan. 17. Sunset. 768 25 On board Mukhbir at Sharm Yáhárr.

Jan. 18. Sunrise. 766 22 On board Mukhbir.
(?) 766 23 Ditto.
Sunset. 764 28 Ditto. Hot.

ON BOARD.

Jan. 19. Sunrise. 763 21
Noon. 762 25
Sunset. 763 25

Jan. 20. Sunrise. 761 21
Noon. 762 25
Nightfall 762 28 Hot

Jan. 21. Sunrise. 763 23 Bad weather at Sharm Yáhárr.
Noon. 763 24
Sunset. 767 25

Jan. 22. Sunrise. 769 19 Mukhbir delayed by bad weather.
Noon. 768 24

Jan. 24. Noon. 767 24

Mr. Duguid steamed out of Yáhárr for Makná. Anchored off Sináfir Island.

Jan. 25. Sunrise. 767 23 Reached Makná.
Noon. 766 24
Sunset. 765 25

Jan. 26. Sunrise. 764 23 On board Mukhbir.
Noon. 763 27
Sunset. 763 29

Jan. 27. Sunrise. 765 22 Ditto.
Noon. 763 23
Sunset. 763 27

Jan. 28. Sunrise. 763 21 Ditto.
Noon. 762 24
Sunset. 762 22

Jan. 29. Sunrise. 763 20 Ditto.
Noon. 762 22
Sunset. 762 23

Jan. 30. Sunrise. 766 20 Ditto.
Noon. 764 24
Sunset. 765 24

Jan. 31. Sunrise. 765 22 Ditto.
Noon. 764 23
Sunset. 764 23

Feb. 1. Sunrise. 765 21 Ditto.
Noon. 764 22





OBSERVATIONS TAKEN ON BOARD SCREW-STEAMER "MUKHBIR," BY MR DAVID DUGUID (DURING OUR SECOND
JOURNEY), BETWEEN FEBRUARY 18 AND MARCH 8, 1878.



Date. Time. Aneroid Thermometer Remarks.
Millimetres. Centigrade.
(deg.)

Feb. 18. 7 a.m. 764 18 Clear sky. Light breeze.
Noon. 763 23 Same weather.
5 p.m. 764 23 Clear sky. Good breeze.

Feb. 19. 7 a.m. 764 20 Clear sky. Light wind.
Noon. 764 23 Light wind. Few clouds in east.
5 p.m. 764 24 Clear sky. Light wind.

Feb. 20. 7 a.m. 765 20 Clear sky. Light east wind.
Noon. 765 21 Clear sky. Light north-west wind.
5 p.m. 764 23 Clear sky. Light east wind.

Feb. 21. 7 a.m. 765 20 White clouds all round. Light east wind.
Noon. 766 23 Few clouds to south. Light north-west wind.

Feb. 22. 7 a.m. 765 20 Few clouds to east. Light west wind.
Noon. 764 22 Few clouds to east. Good north-west breeze.
5 p.m. 764 22 Few clouds to west. Light north wind.

Feb. 23. 7 a.m. 764 19 Clouds to south-west. No wind.
Noon. 765 21 Clouds to east. Light north-west wind.
5 p.m. 765 22 Few clouds to east. Light north-west wind.

Feb. 24. 7 a.m. 767 19 Clear sky. No wind.
Noon. 768 22 Clear sky. Light north wind.
5 p.m. 768 24 Same weather.

Feb. 25 7 a.m. 769 20 Clear sky. Light east wind.
Noon. 769 22 Clear sky. Light west wind.
5 p.m. 768 24 Clear sky. No wind.

Feb. 26. 7 a.m. 766 20 Clear sky. Light east wind.
5 p.m. 766 20 Same weather.

Feb. 27. 7 a.m. 762 20 Few clouds to south. Light north-east wind.
Noon. 762 23 Clear sky. Light north wind.
5 p.m. 761 25 Clear sky. Light west wind.

Feb. 28. 5.p.m. 764 23 Heavy clouds to west. Strong west wind.

Mar. 1. 7 a.m. 767 20 Few clouds in south. Light north wind.
Noon. 767 23 Clear sky. Good north-west breeze.
5 p.m. 765 22 Few clouds to west. Light wind from west.

Mar. 2. 7 a.m. 765 20 Clouds all round. Light east wind.
Noon. 765 23 Clouds all round. Light west wind.
5 p.m. 764 24 Clouds all round. Light north wind.

Mar. 3. 7 a.m. 762 20 Few clouds to east. No wind.
Noon. 763 22 Few clouds to south. Good north-west breeze.
5 p.m. 763 23 Few clouds to north. Good west breeze.

Mar. 4. 7 a.m. 767 21 Clear sky. Light breeze from east.
Noon. 768 23 Clear sky. Light breeze from west.
5 p.m. 767 24 Clear sky. Light breeze from north.

Mar. 5. 7 a.m. 764 20 Clear sky. Light east wind.
Noon. 764 22 Clear sky. Good breeze from east.
5 p.m. 762 25 Light clouds all round. North-west wind.

Mar. 6. 7 a.m. 763 20 Heavy clouds to east. Light east wind.
Noon. 763 23 A few clouds to east. Light west wind.
5 p.m. 762 24 Dark clouds all round. Strong west wind. At ten
p.m. gale from west, with some flashes of
lightning.

Mar. 7. 7 a.m. 766 19 Clouds to south. Wind north.
Noon. 767 23 Clear sky. Good breeze from north-west.
5 p.m. 766 24 Clear sky. Wind north.

Mar. 8. 7 a.m. 763 19 Clear sky. Light east wind.
Noon. 763 23 Clear sky. Light west wind.





OBSERVATIONS TAKEN ON BOARD SCREW-STEAMER "MUKHBIR," BY MR. DAVID DUGUID (DURING OUR WEEK IN EL-
SHÁRR), BETWEEN MARCH 13 AND MARCH 19, 1878.



Date. Time. Aneroid Thermometer Remarks.
Millimetres. Centigrade.
(deg.)

Mar. 13. 6 a.m. 762 25 Clear sky. Good breeze. Wind west.
Noon. 761 26 Clear sky. Light breeze. Wind west.

Mar. 14. 6 a.m. 762 21 Light clouds all over. Wind east. Light breeze.
Noon. 764 24 Same cloudy weather, but wind from east (?).
3 p.m. 763 26 Light clouds all round. Wind west and light.

Mar. 15. 6 a.m. 762 21 A few clouds to south. Wind east and light.
Noon. 761 26 Light clouds all round. Moderate breeze from
west.
3 p.m. 760 27-1/2 Same weather.

Mar. 16. 6 a.m. 760 24 A few clouds to south. Light east wind.
Noon. 760 26 Clear sky. Wind south-west. Light breeze.
3 p.m. 759 29 Clear sky. Wind west. Very light breeze.

Mar. 17. 6 a.m. 759 24 Clear sky. Light breeze from east.
Noon. 760 26 Clear sky. Wind west. Very light breeze.
3 p.m. 760 27 Same weather.

Mar. 18. 6 a.m. 760 23 Same weather, by wind west.
Noon. - - Clear sky. Wind west. Very light breeze.

Mar. 19. 6 a.m. 759 23 Few clouds to north. Wind east, and very light.
Noon. 758 19 Clouds to north-west. Good breeze from west.
3 p.m. 758 29 Clouds all round. Wind south-west. Good breeze.





OBSERVATIONS TAKEN ON BOARD SCREW-STEAMER "SINNÁR," BY CAPTAIN NÁSIR AHMED, BETWEEN MARCH 29 AND
APRIL 10, 1878.



Date. Time. Mercurial Thermometer. Remarks.
Barometer. Fahr.

Mar. 29. 6 a.m. 30.7 64
Noon. 30.7 76
3 p.m. 30.7 76

Mar. 30. 6 a.m. 30.00 61 White clouds to north-east. Wind north-east.
Noon. 30.05 77
3 p.m. 30.00 80 Air very damp from noon to sunset. Wind west.

Mar. 31. 6 a.m. 29.9 63 Wind north-east. Never saw barometer so low.
Noon. 30.00 80 Dry and fine.
3 p.m. 29.98 82

April 1. 6 a.m. 29.94 66 Wind east. Fine day.
Noon. 29.95 83
3 p.m. 29.92 83 Damp from noon to sunset.

April 2. 6 a.m. 29.90 68 Wind east. Fine day.
Noon. 30.00 80 Damp.
3 p.m. 29.90 81 Red clouds at sunset.

Gale of wind at El-Wijh from north-east, began at seven p.m. Ship under shelter. Rain for half
an hour.

April 3. 6 a.m. 30.00 69 Wind north.
Noon. 30.20 80 Damp.
3 p.m. 30.00 79 Wind north-west at sunset.

April 4. 6 a.m. 30.00 73 Wind north-west.
Noon. 30.03 76 Wind north-west all day.
3 p.m. 30.00 77

Storm on seaboard. Heavy clouds, wind, and gale all day from north-west. Sinnár rolling.

April 5. 6 a.m. 29.93 66 Wind north-west.
Noon. 30.00 76 Wind north-west.
3 p.m. 30.00 75 Fine day.

April 6. 6 a.m. 29.93 62 Wind north.
Noon. 30.00 74 Wind north-west.
3 p.m. 30.00 74 Same weather.

April 7. 6 a.m. 29.94 64 Wind north.
Noon. 30.00 79 Fine day.
3 p.m. 30.00 76 Wind north-west from noon to sunset. Fine weather.

April 8. 6 a.m. 30.02 61 Wind east.
Noon. 30.04 73 Fine day.
3 p.m. 30.04 78 From noon to sunset, fine but damp.

April 9. 6 a.m. 30.04 68 Wind east.
Noon. 30.06 77
3 p.m. 30.06 81 Damp from noon to sunset.

April 10. 6 a.m. 30.06 64 Wind north. Fine day. Damp and north-west wind
from noon to sunset.

CAIRO.

Reaching Cairo, I found Dr. T. E. Maclean from Thebes, with good instruments. He kindly compared
mine with his, and gave me the following results:--The difference between my aneroid (Casella)
and his is very slight, varying generally from 0.05 to -0.10. He advises me to neglect this
slight difference. The dry bulb is, on the whole, a little higher than his; and we have not
sufficient observations for the wet bulb. The pocket thermometer wants correction; it reads from
+1 deg. to +2 deg. 15'.





LIST OF OBSERVATIONS.



N&Z = Negretti and Zambra
No obs. = No observation.

Date. Time. N&Z's My Differ- Casellás Differ- N&Z's Casellás Differ- N&Z's Casellás Differ-
(1878) standard Casella. ence for portable ence for dry bulb. dry bulb. ence. wet wet ence for
aneroid. correc- thermo- correc- No. bulb. bulb. correc-
No.1140. tions. meter tions. 39,518. tions.
(deg.).

April 28. 12.30p.m. No obs. No obs. - 91 -1.6 89.4 90.0 -0.6 71.75 71.0 +0.75
3p.m. No obs. No obs. - 84 -2.1 81.9 82.5 -0.6 69.0 69.0 0.0
6.30p.m. No obs. No obs. - 73 -2.5 70.5 71.0 -0.5 61.0 61.0 0.0

April 29. 9a.m. No obs. No obs. - 69 -2.4 66.6 67.0 -0.4 59.1 59.0 +0.1
11.30p.m. 29.796 29.850 -.054 77.5 -2.0 75.5 76.0 -0.5 63.5 64.0 -0.5
3p.m. 29.755 29.752 +.003 77.5 -1.5 76.0 76.0 0.0 62.75 62.0 -0.75

April 30. 9a.m. 29.828 29.850 -.022 67.5 -2.15 65.0 66.0 -1.0 59.5 60.5 -1.0
12.30p.m. 29.822 29.850 -.028 76 -1.5 74.5 75.0 -0.5 63.75 63.5 +0.25
3p.m. 29.799 29.802 -.003 77 -2.0 75.0 73.5 -0.5 64.0 58.0 +1.5

May 1. 9a.m. 29.959 30.100 -.141 66.5 -1.75 64.75 65.5 -0.75 57.5 58.0 -0.5
12.30p.m. 29.945 29.952 -.007 76 -2.5 73.5 74.5 -1.0 61.5 62.0 -0.5
3p.m. 29.984 29.902 +.082 77.5 -1.75 75.75 76.5 -0.75 61.75 61.5 +0.25

May 2. 9a.m. 30.051 30.102 -.051 66 -1.25 64.75 65.0 -0.25 58.0 58.5 -0.5
12.30p.m. 29.978 30.000 -.022 78 -2.0 76.0 76.0 0.0 63.0 66.5 -2.5
3p.m. 29.936 29.950 -.014 78 -1.5 76.5 No obs. - 63.75 No obs. -

May 3. 9a.m. 29.961 29.952 +.009 71.5 -1.5 70.0 No obs. - 58.5 No obs. -
12.30p.m. 29.880 29.900 -.020 83 -2.5 80.5 81.0 -0.5 63.23 62.0 +1.25
3p.m. 29.820 29.850 -.030 83 -1.1 81.9 82.5 -0.6 62.0 62.5 -0.5

May 4. 9a.m. 29.716 29.750 -.024 71.5 -1.25 70.25 71.0 -0.75 63.25 63.0 +0.25
12.30p.m. 29.679 29.700 -.021 89.5 -1.25 87.75 88.0 -0.25 70.25 69.5 +0.75
3.30p.m. 29.617 29.650 -.033 89.5 -1.0 88.5 89.0 -0.5 70.0 69.0 +1.0

May 5. 9.30a.m. 29.586 29.600 -.014 76.5 -1.5 75.0 No obs. - No obs.No obs. -
12.30p.m. No obs. No obs. - 83 -2.0 81.0 82.0 -1.0 69.75 68.5 +1.25
3p.m. 29.603 29.602 -.001 82 -1.5 80.5 81.0 -0.5 69.0 67.0 +2.0

May 6. 9a.m. 29.780 29.800 -.020 70 -1.75 68.25 69.0 -0.75 63.0 63.0 0.0
12.30p.m. 29.785 29.800 -.015 77 -2.0 75.0 76.0 -1.0 65.25 65.0 +0.25
3p.m. 29.778 29.800 -.022 79 -2.0 77.0 77.5 -0.5 67.5 66.0 +1.5

May 7. 9a.m. 29.854 29.850 +.004 67 -2.0 65.0 66.0 -1.0 60.75 61.0 -0.25
12.30p.m. 29.822 29.802 -.020 80.5 -1.5 79.0 79.0 0.0 66.0 65.0 +1.0




 Endnotes:




[EN#1] The word is explained in my "Itineraries," part ii. sect.
3.

[EN#2] See Appendix IV. "Botanical Notes."

[EN#3] "Opens," i.e. the door for a higher price: it is the usual
formula of refusing to sell.

[EN#4] Chap. XVI.

[EN#5] The Saturday Review, in a courteous notice of my first
volume (May 25, 1878), has the following remarks:--"The Arabs
talk of some (?) Nazarenes, and a 'King of the Franks,' having
built the stone huts and the tombs in a neighbouring cemetery
('Aynúnah). But there can be no local tradition worth repeating
in this instance." Here we differ completely; and those will
agree with me who know how immutable and, in certain cases,
imperishable Arab tradition is. The reviewer, true, speaks of
North Midian, where all the tribes, except the Beni 'Ukbah, are
new. Yet legend can survive the destruction and disappearance of
a race: witness the folk-traditions of the North-Eastern Italians
and the adjacent Slavs. Here, however, in South Midian we have an
ancient race, the Baliyy. And what strengthens the Christian
legend is that it is known to man, woman, and child throughout
the length and breadth of the land.

Copyright (c) 2007. famouswriterz.com. All rights reserved.